Tubing shock absorber



A TTORNE Y.

2/ w a 7//4 R. M l 8 \0 0m 9, y a m 6 i1, W L s, ,Mw l 2 M m 2 3 w R Z Q7 E m n m E W m M. 1, w m n w M s m m 6 T. .l u w F T T A 64 6 o M M 22 4 ooodw 6 n W4 J & 4/ u. T lo n l FNV n, I a M ozLJi 4 Q 2 3 4 5062 /02 /e 4 4 e a 2 s JJ e c 6 6 f Patented May 15, 1928.

UNITED STATES .PATENT-formes. g

I salumi. CHASE, oFfLoNG minori,`'znmroitNIA.

'rinsine snocx Assonnnn.

" Application le'd May 11,

invention relates-to devices orappatubingrhas been accidentally disconnected, said,'catcher and shock absorber preventing the telescoping or cork-screwing l.of said tubing, andeven preventing damage to the easing, provision beingmade for permitting `a gradual cushioning `of said impact, therevclonet'osaid tubing creasing.

by insuring that no damage `whatever be It accordingly is an object` ot' my invention to] provide a novel form of tubing catcher,- having associated therewith a shock absorber or liuid dash pot for cushioningithe iimpact of the falling tubing, a ported and vented plunger Vbeing vassociated `with said dash pot, whereby the amount of fluid bypassing through said `.plunger'may be accurately regulated, a vented valvev being also associated with said plunger for this purpose-r Y It is also within the province of my 1nvention ro-associate with the slips ofthe tubing catchera novel formy of adjustable equalizingf means vwherebyV saidf tubing catcher may be placedinlfluids of varying viscosity, since if this is not` provided, said catcher will not enter thick viscous fluids where'these are encountered in oil'gwell practice.;

The above and `further objectsand advantages, as will hereinafter more fully appear,

I attain bythe device and apparatus constructed in accordance with the description in the specification and illustrated in the `drawings and accompanyingthe same, and

formingv a part of my application'.

Reference is had to the accompanying drawings, in which similar reference char acters denote similar parts. In the drawings," l l Fig. l is a fragmentary sectional 'view of a tubing casing anda string of tubing posiv1946. serial No. 108,304.

tioned therein, which tubing is equipped with my invention, Y

Fig. 2 1s an' enlarged cross-sectional view in the direction of the arrows,;l I

F1g.-3 isa similar' `view on the -l1ne 3-3,

of Fig. 1- on the line 2 2, Fig. l, looking 55 Fig.A l, looking in the direction of the arrows, l y

Fig. 4 is a similar ,viewon the linea-J1, 60 Fig. 1,` v l y Fig. 5 is a similar view 'on theline 5-5, Fig.V l,

Fig. 6 is a detail view of a plug adapted to be associatedy with one or more of the Vents in the plunger,

Fig. 7 is a-top plan-detail view, and Fig. 8 a sectional'detail view of one of the packingnuts used with the hydraulic packthe sectional tubing casing 2 is equipped with internally threaded collars 4 positioned at intervals along the -length ot said casing to hold said sections in detachable relation,

and in said casingthe string of .sectionalv tubingf6, also secured in detachable relation by means of a set of internally-threaded tubingcollars 8, and associated with said tubing Varelthe `shocklabsorber or fluid dashpot, desi ignated generally by the reference characterD, and the tubingcatcher, designated generally bythe reference character C.

The tubing 6 is of the ordinary plain type,

"bututhat section thereof with which the 85 shockA absorber `or dashI pot D and vthe catcher C are associated, is polished, said section being indicated by the reference numeral l0, said sectionbeing heavy, polished and seamless. i

Positioned on the section 10 is a' heavy,

seamless jacket orcasing 12, which is adaptedto house a fluid oi. any preferred kind, such as 011, or air indicated by the' numeral 14, said jacket or casing being held on said tubing in the manner presently .to be described.

It is of course necessary to pack the casing 12 carefully so that it may be ren dered fluid tight. by meansof suitable 'packing glands and by hydraulic packing,r comprising the usual 70 Describing my invention more in detail, y

This is preferablydone 10 be engaged by a sleeve Wrench. Of course,

wrench, a packing gland20 beingscrewed thereto or otherwise `del:acha'ioly `associa-ted with the nut 18, and positioned .below the gland 2O are layers of the heieiibeore reverred to hydraulic packing ,22, any desired number of such layers being provided.

.To i pack the lower 'portion of the casing 12, the extension 23 thereof, which may be ofnany preferred construction, #but preferably equipped with threads 24, so that the tubing catcher Uor anyconventional type 101i' vsuchfa catcher `may be detachably assoelated therewith, is boredor otherwise hollowed out, to provide a cavity 26, to receive the hydraulic packing 28,securely held in place on the tubing section l0 by means of )a .packingggland nut 30, shown in .detail in Figs. 7, and 8, which nut is externally threaded and equipped with notches 32, to

any other means may rbe provided for holding the packing' 28 in position.V l

Secured, to kthe polished tubi-ngsection 10, preferably, though not necessarily, by means of threads 34, is a fluid tight plunger .or Apistf.ni36, which may be provided with a suitable packing or not, asv desired, so long as Suid Plum-Eel' .does not permit the fluid yto hDl-P5155 externally-thereof in the casing lor jacket 12.`

The plunger 36 is equipped with a set-.lof

comparatively large ports or passages 38, fand a set of comparatively small 1 ports, passagesor vents 40, al1 of which permit Vthe icy-passing of the fluid through the plunger asit rises or falls with thetubing, the ports `orf passages 38 permitting said plunger .to

rise, and the vents40 functioning to'provide a cushioning eect so that said plungerlshall .not falltool slowly or 'too quickly, a set of plugs 42 (see Fig. 6) secured :or otherwise positioned in said vents, being usedfor kadjusting purposes, sothisI movement may .in

`)practicebcaccurately regulated. Of course,

the number of ports 38 and kvents 40 ymay be in practice varied as desired. f

- isA the plunger 36 descends, it is of course necessary that the large ports 38 be closed, and anypreferred form of valve :42 is iused for ,this purpose. Said valve islassociated with said plunger by means of `headed bolts or screws 44, or other members, countersunk lwithin the valve 42, so that when said plunger descends, the .ports 38 may be closed. It will be understood, Ihowever, that any 'other ,preferred form of valve `or vmeans tor closing'oif the rports ,3S-,may be substituted therefor, and still remain within the .equipped with a province of my invention. Said valve is also equipped with similar ports or vents 40, as

depicted more particularly in Fig. 3, toA

permit the fluid 14 to by-pass above the plunger 36 so that said plunger `will not descend too rapidly.

My novel form of tubing catcher is indicated at C, and is equipped with an ex- -punder-46, ipu'eiiierably, though not necessarily screwed to the projection 23 of the casling 12, and associated with said expander,

preferably by means of dove-tail joints 48, are a set or' catcher slips 50, preferably though not necessarily, three innumher,

and symmetrically placed, Asaitlslips equipped with the usual .serrated portions 52 'whereby said .slips may `engage the wall of .theieasing and hold 'the dropped `tubing m position so that it may. be recovered.

'The lower j plain `tubing sectionr,k ,is screw threaded retaining colla-reet, surrounding the polished .section l0 as `well `as the section 6, which j.eectimisl :abut each other, said collar` preventing fthe shock absorber or :dash I.pot fand tubing catcher from dropping. Said collar lpreferably .projectsy into a groove 56 formedin the bottom of theex-pander v46, securely .holdingthe groove, however, may be omitted, it .desired Surrounding lthe collar 54 is ati-preferably cylindrical slip equalizer:8,iassociated with Vsame i-nposition on lthe ftubing, which,

,the slips 5U :by means of .sliparms 60 ofl 'any preferred type, to .facilitate the lissertionof the tubing vcatcher ywithin thick lu ids, and mounted on said slips and said equalizer iin any manner desired, :as by piv- As ,just stated, to permit the insertionpof the tubing catcher within different wells Awiherefluiels of varying viscosity are tound,

the adjustable equalizing means 58 is provided. 1f :provision is not anade or .such a feature, Ythe Ycatcher.slips-50 and expander llxcenld not be inserted in the. fluid, seid slipsandfexpander merely oatingon the Tothisend ythe expunderd and 54 are held in resilient relation :by means eeifsprings' `6e and 66, any ldesired connection for this purpose, asthe nut and bolt connection A68, 'being `provided for this pun pose., the ithrough bolts and nuts 72 being f associated with the springs 66, vthe slips 5U being connected `to the Ycoiilar 54 by imearns of fthe pivoted arms 60. This r`,'construch tion :a'ords :an :equalized movement of the coller r parts when the idevioe is ipositionelwin `thc tiem 4ofthe'ezipaucfler 46 when the -itubingi ifal'ls.

The operation of my invention should justed in relation tothe particular viscosity 'of the `fluid inthe well, the device is positioned therein on the tubing.

lVhen the-tubing should for any reason begin to fall, then Athe tubing together with the dash pot would fall suddenly. The member 58, however, because of the inertia, would tend to hold its position or else not fall as rapidly as the restof the unit. There would thus be brought about a relative movement between the expander member 46 and the catcher jawsO, which movement would cause the jaws to expand outwardly against the casing wall and stop further falling of the tubing. Upon this happening, the dash pot unit would be retained against further rapid downward movement and the tubing l0 with its attached piston would begin to move gradually downward in the dash pot, the vents permitting the transfer of liquid from below to above the piston. Such gradual movement would tend to relieve the tubing from undue strains and also effect the final gradual gripping of the casing by the jaws thus minimizing shocks to the tubing and casing.

It will of course be obvious that my invention may be modified throughout a. wide range. I accordingly do not propose to be limited to the exact details of construction shown and described, but reserve the right in practice to make any and all modifications thereof that fall within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

l, A shock absorber for a tubing catcher comprising a fluid tight casingadapted to house a fiuid, a string of tubing extending through said casing, a plunger secured to said tubing, said plunger being equipped with sets of through passages therein to permit by-passing of said fluid, and a ported valve associated with said piston adapted to control certain of said passages and also to permit the Huid to pass through said valve.

2. A shock absorber for a tubing catcher comprising a casing adapted to house a fluid, a string of tubing extending through said casing, means associated with said casing and said tubing for rendering said casing fiuid tight, a plunger secured to said tubing and adapted to travel therewith, said plunger being equipped with two sets of through ports of different sizes, and means associated with said plunger for controlling one set of said ports.

3. A shock absorber for a tubing catcher, in combination with a string of tubing, a fluid dash pot associated with said tubing, said dash pot comprising a ported plunger secured to said tubing, and a ported valve adapted, when said plunger descends with said tubing, to close certain of the ports of said plunger', while certain other of said ports,.and the ports in said valve permit said liuid to by-passabove said plunger. j j

4. In a tubing catcher, in` combination with the tubing of a well, an expander, a set of' catcher slips external of said expander adapted to receive said expander therebetween, a slip equalizer associated with said slips, means for holding said expander and said equalizer in resilient relation, and a shock absorber dash pot for cushioning the impact of said tubing.

5. In a tubing catcher, in combination, a string of tubing, a tubing catcher associated with said tubing, said catcher comprising an expander, a plurality of slips adapted/to receive said expander', dove-tail means associated with said expander and said slips, a. collar on said tubing positioned below said weight, a slip equalizer on said tubing, and positioned below said collar, a set of slip arms associated with said slips land said equalizer, and a fluid dash potl on said tubing and connected to said expander to cushion the impact of said tubing.

6. In a device of the lclass described, in combination, a string of tubing, a tubing catcher on said tubing, and a fluid dash pot surrounding said tubing and forming a fluid tight joint therewith, said dash pot being connected to said tubing catcher to cushion the impact of' said tubing, substantially as described.

7. In a device of the class described, in combination, a string of tubing, a tubing catcher on said tubing, said catcher comprising an expander, a set of dove-tailedslips associated with said expander, a slip equalizer connected to said slips, resilient means connecting said expander and said equalizer, means for adjusting said resilient means, and ashock absorber on said tubing connected to said expander to cushion the impact of said tubing. f

8. In a device of the class described, in combination, a string of tubing, a fluid pressure dash pot surrounding said tubing and forming a fluid tight joint therewith, and a tubing catcher associated with said dash pot and said tubing and connected to said catcher, said dash pot functioning to prevent said tubing from telescoping or cork-screwing, substantially as described. y

9. In a device of the class described, in combination, a string of tubing, a tubing catcher associated-with saidtubing, a fluid dash pot surrounding said tubing yand connected to said catcher, and sets of packing means for rendering said dash pot fluid tight relative to said tubing, substantially as `described.

10. In a liuid dash pot for cushioning the l impact of a tubing catcher, a string of tubmg, a casing adapted to house a fluid surrounding said tubing, means associated with said casing and said tubing for rendering said casing luidrtight, a plunger on said. tubing and adapted to be recproeated in said easing, said plungery being equipped with a set ofzpassages for permitting said fluid to pass above said plunger, a valve for controlling said passages, said plunger and said valve being also equipped with a set, of Vents,

andvmeans for closing ,om certain ai said vents; whereby the amount o nid, passing l through said ventsand above said plunger may be regulated. p, f

1ntestimony whereof Lhave signed. my uameto this speeicatiom CHASE 

